Integrating local farmers with the Rise Up School Meal Program has provided number of benefits for students, parents, and the local community. By sourcing food locally, schools are able to support the local economy and help reduce the carbon footprint of their meal program. Local food is often fresher and more nutritious than food that has been transported over long distances, which can help improve the health and well-being of students. Additionally, involving local farmers in the meal program has provided educational opportunities for students, helping them learn about where their food comes from and the importance of supporting local agriculture.
There were few key hurdles Rise Up had to go through when integrating local farmers into the Rise Up School Meal Program. The key challenge was to establish partnerships with local farmers, either directly or through school principals, teachers, parents and farmer organizations. This helped building relationships with farmers and understanding their growing practices, as well as learning about the types of products they have available. It also gave insight about logistical challenges of sourcing local food, including transportation, storage, and the timing of harvests. Rise Up is considering setting “Rise Up Parent Circles” in respective villages to make the process of sourcing simple, easier and more efficient.
As the program move forward, Rise Up intend to involve students in the process of sourcing local food, by organizing field trips to local farms and creating mini farms in schools for learning and demonstration purpose. Schools are also encouraged to involve students in the planning and decision-making process, by gathering input and feedback on menu options and involving them in the preparation and serving of meals.
In order to make the integration of local farmers into the Rise Up School Meal Program a success, it’s important to establish funding channels and other resources to support the program for an extended period until the program fully settle down with local integrations. Rise Up is also making arrangements to link the farmers with external supply chains, partnering with other organizations to enhance income potential and sustainability of the process.
Overall, integrating local farmers with the Rise Up School Meal Program can provide a number of benefits for stu
dents, parents, and the local community. By establishing partnerships with local farmers, linking the logistics of sourcing local food, involving students in the process, and seeking out funding and other resources, schools can help make this integration a success and sustainable platform.
Rise Up School Meal Program is a fully integrated school nutrition model conceptualized, designed and managed by Avaaya Research Pvt Ltd, a multi-disciplinary research agency based in Si Lanka. The program currently overs over 12,000 school children in 81 schools spread among 15 districts in Sri Lanka, offering a nutrition balanced mid-day meal in all school days.
Additionally Rise Up also offers a cup of milk in the morning from milk sourced directly from the farmers to increase the nutrition density of the intervention. The milk program now cover over 5,400 school children. The program is mainly funded by private donors and since the launch on 20th June 2022, Rise Up has swiftly become the largest privately funded school meal program in Sri Lanka.
For more details please write to info@avaayaresearch.com or call +94112804118.
